I take an interdisciplinary approach to the study of education. My research lies at the intersection of Indigenous studies, comparative education, cultural anthropology, ethnomusicology, and environmental studies. I focus on longitudinal, collaborative research that is mutually beneficial to my research communities.
This project investigates Indigenous pedagogies for world heritage education through partnering with Indigenous communities around the world to co-construct Land-based educational curricula. Current partners include communities in the Solomon Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Alaska, Madagascar, and Norway.
As a part of UNESCO’s 46th session of the World Heritage Committee I was chosen as one of 50 young professionals from 31 countries to represent the United States. Together we worked on opportunities to operationalize the World Heritage Convention in the twenty-first century. We then presented our declaration to the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee.
Cultivating Relationships (CR) is a multiyear learning process where K-12 teachers partner with Tribal Nations and University researchers to examine the relationships between people, place, lands, and waters.
Nunayaaġviŋmi itut Uvlumini
A Day at Camp
A collaborative children’s book project written in the Kingikmiut dialect of Inupiaq with English translations. The goal of the project is to increase the number of educational resources written in the Kingikmiut dialect.
An extensive ethnography of two Iñupiaq dance and drumming groups exploring participation of other-than-human members and highlighting potential insights for building more culturally relevant learning experiences.
Indigenous Knowledge for Effective Education Program (IKEEP) at the University of Idaho prepares and certifies culturally responsive Indigenous teachers to meet the unique needs of Native American students in K-12 schools.
Hearing Between the Words: Toward the Slow Study of Traditional Riddles
A model for teachers and students to work collaboratively to “hear between the words”—and between the worlds—through cultural context and interpretation of the cultural capsule that a traditional riddle provides.
The State of Equitable Global Engagement in Pittsburgh
A mixed methods benchmark report on the state of equitable global engagement in the greater Pittsburgh area partnering with The Global Switchboard, a Pittsburgh-based non-profit organization, and the University of Pittsburgh Collaborative for Assessment and Evaluation Capacity.
David E. K. Smith 